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Description

This is the ultra classic of Morrison and the doorway to nearly all the hard routes in the Black Hole. This may be the hardest V5 that you will ever work and packs more beta into 12 feet of climbing than most other problems I know!!!

This is nearly impossible to describe, however, ask anyone that climbs at Morrison, and they will be able to give you a better idea. The original version starts on the left side of the Black Hole on a jug, and traverses into the sloping crux of Copter. Most people, however, opt for the following version: start sitting down with your left hand in a small pocket and your right on a miserable open hand hold. From here, toss with the left up to the flat face. Some nice foot beta will allow you move the right hand up to a sloping hold. A series of balancy and technical foot movements allows you to move the hands up, eventually to the sloping rail. From here, pull up, lock off and reach up with the left hand to a sloper in a crack. Some different foot variations allow you to do the final scary throw out right to a hidden hold, and follow this with another bump to the final hand jam hold and you are all finished. Of course, if you blow the last move you will discover how the problem gets it name. Consider a crash pad and spotter for this move.

I thought this problem was stout for the grade, although I did it in the summer heat. Fall seems like a better time to visit this area. Some of the problems here are fun (Rifle'ish), although the scenery leaves much to be desired.
Jul 16, 2005

Young Doug...Actually I believe that John Sherman considers this benchmark at V4. I'm not trying to belittle anyone here..I consider this V4, especially if Missle is only V5... Hmmm The fall, winter, and spring are the best time to come up there..The place really can be pretty when the leaves turn across the road there, and one last thing..to he who oiled the holds I have a question..are you deliberately trying to piss me off?
Sep 23, 2005

Young Doug...the above photo of Adam appears that he is on what Rufus calls "Flaiming Arrow" (Direct start from underneath) and is V6. the start back to the left where the larger holds are, and traversing out the bench/ramp is V4. As if anyone really cares..
Sep 23, 2005

ac, All of your comments above are accurate, the traverse in from the side was (more info on the past tense in a second) the original Helicopter and Flaming Arrow was what the sit start was called, grades about right as well. However, in the past 10ish years the names of these problems have been run together and confused. The problem is further complicated by the fact that about two years ago the starting hold broke off the original line. You will notice it is missing by looking at the picture of Adam and looking above his left heel hook. Anyway, even previous to this many people were calling the sit downstart Helicopter and over the years this became the accepted name. This name really sticks now that the original has changed. Some how during all of this the grade for the sit down was also dropped to V5, possibly because once you have the beta V6 may be a little on the ego stroking side and possible because all the locals have this thing so wired that even with oil on the glassy holds the problem still got sent.

Long story short, the beta in the picture and route description is what is now commonly refered to as Helicopter at v5. Historically acurate? No. Sandbag grade? For sure. Still a fun problem? For sure.

P.S.: Helicopter is not the only problem in the hole with these issues, in addition to being drilled, filled, drilled, and then drilled somemore, Cytogrinder has also lost a hold or two, most notable the good edge that was by the McTwist pocket that was used on the FA. The good undercling everyone uses on Air Jordan also had a rock stuck in it and was unusable for the first years of that problem's life.
Nov 12, 2005

Best done with a slew of pads and a brigade of spotters. Be careful not to break your arm (or leg!) with the final move. I finally got this after 3 months of skipping college chapel, stealing my roommate's truck, and borrowing my friend's pad, coming out if only for 15 minutes to "get a burn in."
May 24, 2006

A good variation at the top, instead of left hand to the top of the block and right to the end of the block, is to eliminate the block entirely. Do a right hand jam in the obvious crack below the block, then cross left to the outside edge; the feet cut loose and the right hnd swings over. It's kind of a a dynamic start to air loopus and very fun.
Nov 1, 2007

Sent it on my second day of working it. Great problem and it felt right at V5 for me. Got a couple angles of video and threw them together here. The first and last clips are of Breashears' Crack.
Mar 3, 2012